Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Diasciaxc3x97hybrida cultivar Blushwpr.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diasciaxc3x97hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Blushwpr.
The new Diascia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Guadalupe, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Diascias with numerous flowers with attractive coloration and good garden performance.
The new Diascia originated from a cross made by the Inventor during the spring of 1999 of a proprietary selection of Diasciaxc3x97hybrida identified as code number 377-3, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary selection of Diasciaxc3x97hybrida identified as code number 382-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Diascia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny by the Inventor in July, 1999, in Guadalupe, Calif. on the basis of its attractive flower color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in Guadalupe, Calif. since the fall of 1999 has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Blushwpr have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Blushwprxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Blushwprxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Diascia cultivar:
1. Upright plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit.
3. Freely and continuous flowering habit.
4. Light pink-colored flowers.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 377-3, plants of the new Diascia differ in flower color as plants of the selection 377-3 have light orange-colored flowers. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 382-4, plants of the new Diascia are more upright and differ in flower color as plants of the selection 382-4 have coral pink-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Iceberg, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Guadalupe, Calif., plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of the cultivar Iceberg in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Diascia were more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Iceberg.
2. Plants of the new Diascia had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Iceberg.
3. Flower color of plants of the new Diascia was light pink whereas flower color of plants of the cultivar Iceberg was pure white.